This application is based on application No. 2000-274762 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus that is used in front of an use""s face and provides an optical image so as to be superimposed on an image formed by an ambient object.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, an image display apparatus that is mounted on the head so as to be situated in front of the face and provides an optical image so as to be superimposed on the optical image of the ambient object by directing the light representing the displayed optical image to the eye together with the light from the ambient object has been proposed as personal information supplying means. This type of apparatus usually has a glasses-like shape, and the user can use the apparatus on all occasions in daily life. For example, the user can view an optical image even while walking.
The display that displays an optical image is situated in a peripheral part of the apparatus so as not to obstruct the users view. To superimpose an optical image on the optical image of the ambient object, it is necessary to direct the light from the display situated in a peripheral part to in front of the eye and change the optical path there so that the light is incident on the eye from before. It is desirable that the optical image displayed on the small display can be viewed being enlarged. For these, a combiner is used that transmits the light from the ambient object without acting thereon and reflects the light from the display to thereby enlarge the optical image represented by the light. The combiner is held by a transparent plate-form holding member that is like a normal lens for glasses.
However, the conventional optical image display apparatus is provided with glasses-like shape merely to make the apparatus easy-to-wear, and the holding member has no optical power. Therefore, when a nearsighted or farsighted person wearing glasses in daily life wears the optical image display apparatus instead of the glasses, the nearsightedness or the farsightedness cannot be corrected, so that the person cannot view the optical image of the ambient object clearly. That is, the conventional optical image display apparatus can be used only by persons having normal eyesight or wearing contact lenses for vision correction.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved optical image display apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical image display apparatus that can also be used by persons wearing glasses in daily life.
The above-mentioned objects are attained by an optical image display apparatus having the following structure:
In an optical image display apparatus comprising: a display portion that displays an optical image; a combiner that reflects light from the display portion to thereby enlarge an optical image represented by the light, and transmits light from an ambient object; and a display unit including a transparent plate-form holding member that holds the combiner, said optical image display apparatus being used with the combiner situated in front of a user""s eye, and providing an enlargement of the optical image displayed by the display portion, so as to be superimposed on an optical image of the ambient object, a transparent plate-form diopter adjusting member is provided that has an optical power and is attached to the display unit so as to be situated between the eye and the holding member.